BSc (Hons) Nursing (Child Health)

Caring for children and young people with a wide range of needs is a challenging and fulfilling career. From newborns to adolescents and beyond, you’ll gain experience of supporting children and their families during periods of great change and stress. Early placement opportunities across the South West will develop your clinical and communication skills and your understanding of caring in hospital and community settings. You will graduate ready to start shaping the future of nursing.

Once graduated you are eligible to apply for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) as a 'Registered Nurse – Child Health'. You’ll balance classroom learning with gaining experience in hospitals and communities, with equal weighting given to theory and practice. Your learning journey will take you through a variety of professional work with allied health professions and other fields of nursing.

First choice for health

Delivered by professional experts, our programmes are tailored to you and your career. Together, we address today's most challenging healthcare issues, through research-informed teaching and active, real-world learning.

It’s not too late to apply for September 2019

Key features

Achieve a bachelors honours degree and register as a nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in Child Health enabling you to progress on to a rewarding career and work in a range of healthcare settings nationally or internationally.

Access a range of child specific placements across Devon, Cornwall and Somerset spanning the health, social and educational sector working across an inter-professional hub.

Engage with a curriculum focusing on the acute and community care of children, young people and families.

Get involved in national and international research around sustainability, breastfeeding and urban and community family projects.

Create a professional digital footprint allowing collaboration with the nursing and inter-professional communities.

Be assessed by a range of innovative methods including essays, case work analysis, seminar presentation, practice portfolio and video role-play.

We’re very proud of our National Student Survey (NSS) 2018 return showing a 96 per cent overall satisfaction, 100 per cent of our students agreed that staff made the subject interesting and that 100 per cent of our students agreed that staff were good at explaining things.

Once graduated you are eligible to apply for registration with the NMC as a 'Registered Nurse – Child Health'.

Course details

Course overview

You will be introduced to being an accountable professional, whilst developing the knowledge and skills required to become a confident, academic and independent learner. You will gain an understanding of human development, key body systems and their relationship to nursing care. A range of effective therapeutic interpersonal skills to promote engagement and helpful collaborative person-centred conversations will be nurtured within the theory and the two practice components during the year. You will be introduced to the importance of assessing, planning, providing and evaluating health and wellbeing in a broad range of contexts. You will learn and develop the values, knowledge and skills required for the successful achievement of the standards of proficiency required for the first NMC progression point. Modules will have field specific application.

You will be introduced to research methodology and methods in order to develop their knowledge of the application of research-based evidence to professional practice. You will study the pathophysiological processes involved in commonly encountered health conditions to support nursing interventions. Your knowledge and understanding of co-ordinating care for complex health needs will be developed, as well as in relation to public health, policies and legislation. You will become a knowledgeable practitioner with an understanding of pharmacology and safe practice in the management of medicines. The theory and two practice components of the year will Develop your values, knowledge and skills required for the successful achievement of the standards of proficiency required for the second NMC progression point. Modules will have field specific application.

You will critically explore
the concepts of management, leadership and working in teams. You will extend
your knowledge around critical appraisal and the importance of research
evidence to professional practice. With four specific field modules you will further develop your assessment skills
to enable you to recognise and respond to the seriously ill child, by
increasing your knowledge, understanding and application of relevant
pathophysiology and other evidence to practice. You will develop the
skills and knowledge required to undertake holistic assessment, plan and manage
the support and care of individuals and families in a variety of community
settings, and develop competence in nursing clients with complex needs. The final module will provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate your
ability to perform as a capable and autonomous practitioner, fit for
registration in your field of nursing practice.

Core modules

NRS410 Being an Accountable Professional

This module will introduce students to the nursing profession, professional standards, the use of evidence and the role of social media in health care practice.

NRS411 Communication and Therapeutic Relationships

This module supports students to develop basic, person-centred communication skills enabling them to engage effectively with individuals and their families/carers utilising a range of collaborative interpersonal skills and adopting therapeutic and ethical frameworks that can be applied in health and social care.

NRS415 Providing and Evaluating Care

This module introduces the student to the values, knowledge and skills required for nursing practice in a range of settings.

The modules shown for this course are those currently being studied by our students, or are proposed new modules. Please note that programme structures and individual modules are subject to amendment from time to time as part of the University’s curriculum enrichment programme and in line with changes in the University’s policies and requirements.

Entry requirements

UCAS tariff

112 - 120

GCSE’S5 GCSEs at Grade C/4 or above to
include Mathematics, English, and Science. Consideration may be given to Functional Skills Level 2 in mathematics.

Preference
is given to applicants who have obtained these grades on application. If you do
not have this GCSE profile please contact the Admissions Team directly on +44
(0)1752 585858 or email admissions@plymouth.ac.uk
and they will be happy to advise you further.

PLUS ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

UCAS tariff

112 to 120 UCAS tariff points including 64 from 2 A levels, excluding general studies.Health or Science profile is preferred, but not essential.

Access

Pass a named Access to HE Diploma with 33 Level 3 credits at Merit and/or Distinction, including 15 in Science or Social Science. If you need further advice on this criteria please contact admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.

18 Unit BTEC National Diploma/QCF Extended Diploma

DDM Health or Science profile
is preferred, but not essential.

BTEC National Diploma modulesIf you hold a BTEC qualification it is vital that you provide our Admissions team with details of the exact modules you have studied as part of the BTEC. Without this information we may be unable to process your application quickly and you could experience significant delays in the progress of your application to study with us. Please explicitly state the full list of modules within your qualification at the time of application.

IB

28 overall to include 5 in one subject at Higher Level.
Health or Science profile
is preferred, but not essential. English, Maths, and Science accepted within as GCSE equivalent.

If English is not your first language and you do not have GCSE English grade C / 4 or above you will have to achieve an IELTS (or equivalent qualification) at the grade of at least 7.0 (at least 6.5 in the writing section and at least 7.0 in the reading, listening and speaking sections).

Meeting the academic minimum is the first stage of an application being considered. Applicants must also submit a strong personal statement in order to be considered further.

Further information

Unfortunately we cannot permit deferred entry. However, if you have a query please refer to an experienced admissions administrator who will be able to explain the UCAS application process in more detail ug-admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.

Fees, costs and funding

New Student

2018

2019

Home/EU

To be confirmed

To be confirmed

International

To be confirmed

To be confirmed

Part time (Home/EU)

To be confirmed

To be confirmed

Full time fees shown are per annum. Part time fees shown are per a number of credits.
Please note that fees are reviewed on an annual basis. Fees and the conditions that apply to them shown in the prospectus are correct at the time of going to print. Fees shown on the web are the most up to date but are still subject to change in exceptional circumstances.

Please be aware that there may be additional costs to
undertaking your studies relating to printing of course materials, and
requirement for an initial outlay for travel and accommodation in respect of
practice placement. If you have any questions regarding these costs please
contact admissions@plymouth.ac.uk.

InternationalIf you are studying on a
programme where placements are integral to your study there are costs
associated with travel and accommodation. Please speak with the programme
admissions tutor to find out more.

How to apply

All applications for undergraduate courses are made through UCAS (Universities and Colleges Admissions Service).

UCAS will ask for the information contained in the box at the top of this course page including the UCAS course code and the institution code.

To apply for this course and for more information about submitting an application including application deadline dates, please visit the UCAS website.

Opportunities for postgraduate
study in nursing

You’ll be equipped with the
knowledge and skills to assess, diagnose, treat and manage patients who present
with undifferentiated and undiagnosed conditions, across all sectors of
healthcare.

Certain clinicians can also exit
as a non-medical prescriber, i.e. nurses, pharmacists and optometrists can
become independent and/or supplementary prescribers, whilst radiographers,
physiotherapists and podiatrists can become supplementary prescribers.

The moment I realised...

“I love working with children and I want to be a children’s nurse, so being told that you’re going to be good at it is fantastic feedback.”

Phoebe Wilson
explains the moment she realised she was becoming a children's nurse.

Your say

I’ve gained a lot of experience, which I believe will be valuable as I progress through my career in nursing.”

Danielle Edge - BSc (Hons) Nursing (Child Health)

Danielle Edge graduated from BSc (Hons) Nursing (Child Health) in 2009 and, after catching the teaching bug, now works as a Lecturer in Children's Nursing at London Southbank University.

"Plymouth gave me the opportunities to build my confidence as a student children's nurse and then a registered nurse. The lecturers taught and supported us throughout our training to be critical thinkers. I think this allowed me to have the confidence to question and reflect on my practice as a qualified nurse."

Elliott Tucker - BSc (Hons) Nursing (Child Health)

After graduating in 2011, Elliott Tucker has gained a wide range of experience in different roles, both in London and in the South West, leading to him finding his specialism in emergency care. Elliott is now working in a Band 7 role in the emergency department at Sheffield Children’s Hospital.

"I believe the high quality of teaching from lectures and mentors in placements have made me the nurse I am today. If you want a quality course that can make you the best nurse you can be, then this is the one for you."

Matthew Carey - BSc (Hons) Nursing (Child Health)

For me my education has never really reached a point of completion. Instead, it has opened doors to lifelong learning and, as a graduate, I find myself now en-route to PhD - something I never thought myself capable of undertaking.

Emily Wallis – BSc (Hons) Nursing (Child Health)

Since completing my degree at Plymouth University, I have been working as an Auxiliary Nurse in Exeter. Every shift is fun; there is always someone for whom I am caring that will put a smile on my face.

To complement your formal learning we offer regular sessions that provide the opportunity for you to learn with and from your peers. Share knowledge, discuss ideas, and ask questions in a relaxed and friendly environment